Work feeding means for presses



Dec. 19, 1950 c. N. LOVENHEIM ET AL 2,534,780

WORK FEEDING MEANS FOR PRESSES Filed Feb. 18, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 Q 0k a L INVENTOR.

CLIFFORD N. LOVENHEIM I BY ANDREW 5. LOVE/VHEIM THEIR A TTOIiWEY Dec. 19, 1950 Filed Feb. 18, 1949 c. N. LOVENHEIM ET AL 2,534,780

WORK FEEDING MEANS FOR PRESSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENTOR. CLIFFORD N. LOVE/VHE/M BY ANDREW S. LOVE/VHE/M THE/R ATTORNEY D600 19, 1950 c, N, LOVENHEIM r AL 2,534,780

WORK FEEDING MEANS FOR PRESES Filed Feb. 18, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f ma l9 ,73

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VIII/III! VIII/m W5 7 IN V EN TOR. III/111114 CLIFFORD M VE/VHE/M /a BY ANDREW s. LOVENHE/M 73 75 mm I THE/R A TTOR/VE Y Patented Dec. 19, 1950 UNIED STATES ENT OFHCE WORK FEEDHNG MEANS FOR PRESSES Application February 18, 1949, Serial No. 77,104

6 Claims.

This invention relates to presses, such as punch, die cutting and embossing presses and the like, and more particularly to the combination therewith of means for feeding the work to and from pressing position, one object of the invention being to provide an improved mechanism of the above character having a more simple, practical and efl'icient type of construction.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism in combination with table means movable to receive and carry the work to pressing position and operating to clear the work from the table means after completion of the pressing operation.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism comprising but few parts and capable of being readily adapted to known presses at relatively low :cost.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a die cutting press embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with parts broken away and with some of the parts in a different operating position;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the side of the machine opposite to that shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the head, bed and work table of the press in successive operating ositions and showing the resulting movements of the successive work pieces.

The invention is embodied, in the present instance, by way of illustration, in a die cutting press, such as employed, for example, for cutting a work piece or board to form jigsaw puzzles, comprising, preferably, a base supporting a frame I I on which the various parts of the machine are mounted. Extending upwardly from the top of the frame at its corners are the usual columns, or rods, 42, supporting a stationary head 13 having cutting dies 14 fixed to its lower surface. Re-

ciprocating vertically in guideways in the frame is a bed 15 having a work table or plate means 66 mounted on its top for sliding movement thereon from front to rear of the machine transversely of the path of movement of the bed. The lower position of the bed and table is shown in Fig. 1 in full lines and the table is shown in its upper position in broken lines, the upper position of the bed being omitted for clearer illustration. The table has depending lugs H for guiding its move- 2 ment parallel with the top of the bed and the front and sides of the table are provided with lugs 58 serving as gauges for positioning the work on the table. As the bed is raised, it carries the table upwardly with it and the table is simultaneously reciprocated horizontally from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 in which it receives the Work to the dotted line position in which the work is pressed against the dies it to cut it, these movements being effected in coordinated relation by the mechanism hereafter described.

ihe means for moving the work, after being pressed, to clear the table it, comprises, preterably, a means or plate is movably carried on the stationary head 13 of the press. This plate is vertically disposed, as shown, and extends substantially across the width of the table 16, with its ends slidably supported in channels formed by guide bars 2% fixed on the head. Plate IQ is fixed to and supported by the lower end of a piston rod 25 reciprocating in a pneumatic cylinder 22 secured at its upper end to a bracket 23 carried by the head. A compression spring 24 coiled about the piston rod tends to slide plate It downwardly, aided by its weight, while an air line 25, communicating with the cylinder below the piston, supplies pressure for intermittently raising the piston and the plate 19. The lower edge of the plate is formed with a series of recesses, as 26, to clear the gauge lugs 18 on the work table when the latter is moved inwardly to locate the work in pressing position.

The lower end of the air line 25 communicates through a valve 2? with an air line 28 leading to a suitable source of pressure, the valve 27 having an operating lever 29 provided with a roller 30 arranged for engagement with a cam surface 3| on a wheel 32 fixed on a shaft 33 rotatably mounted in bearings on the frame and forming part of the driving means which will now be described.

lhe driving means comprises, in the present instance, an electric motor 3 3 connected by a belt 35 with a pulley 38 on one section of a shaft 37 rotatably supported in bearings on the frame. This section of the shaft is connected by a clutch 38 with an aligned shaft section 39 likewise supported in bearings on the frame, the clutch being actuated by a shipper arm Mi fixed on a shaft 4|, supported to rock in bearings on the frame and having fixed thereto also an arm 42 connected by a link 33 with an arm i l on a rock shaft 45 on the frame carrying a handle arm 36 by means of which the clutch is actuated to control the operation of the machine.

Section 39 of the driving shaft has fixed thereon a pinion 41 meshing with a gear 48 fixed on a shaft 49 which is rotatably supported in bearings on the frame and extends therethrough from front to rear of the machine. At its rear end, shaft 49 has fixed thereon a gear 58 meshing with a gear fixed on the said shaft 33. Gear 5| is formed on its side face opposite the frame with a cam groove 52 for a roller 53 on an arm 54 having one end pivotally supported at 55 on the frame. The other end of arm 54 is pivotally connected at 56 with the lower end of a link 5'! having its other end pivotally connected at 58 with one arm 59 of a bell crank lever 60 fixed on a shaft 6! supported in bearings on the frame. Lever 66 has its other arm 62 pivotally connected at 63 with a link 64 extending forwardly of the machine and having its forward end pivotally connected at 65 with the side of the front end of table 55. A similar arm 62a is fixed on the other end of shaft BI and linked to the other side of the table.

It is apparent from this description that rotation of the cam and gear wheel 5| operates this mechanism to reciprocate the table on the bed of the machine, from the advanced or forward position shown in Fig. 1 for receiving the work, to the position shown in broken lines in the same figure in which the work is placed in position to be pressed against the dies carried by the head of the machine.

Furthermore, as gear 32 is rotated in synchronism with the gear 5!, cam 3| operates the valve lever 29, the valve parts being so arranged as to admit air to the cylinder 22 to lift the piston and the plate [9 when the table [6 reaches its forward or work receiving position. On the completion of each pressing operation, the air pressure is relieved by the valve means and spring 24 moves plate l9 downwardly to engage and slide the work rearwardly on the table as the latter is returned to its forward or work receiving position.

Shaft 33 carries also one or more cams 66 cooperating in known maner with rollers 67 on cross heads 68 sliding vertically in guideways 69 in guide stands 10 on the main frame. Cross heads 68 are pivotally connected with the lower links H of toggle mechanism having its upper links 12 pivotally connected with the bed l5 of the machine, as well understood in the art.

The operation of the machine is apparent from the above description. A work piece, such as a board to be cut to form a jigsaw puzzle, is placed by the operator against the guide lugs on table l6 while the latter is in its forward position and the clearing plate [9 is raised. Movement of handle 46 to clutch in the driving motor then causes the bed l5 to be raised, while the bell crank lever 68 is being moved to slide the table inwardly on the bed as it rises to carry the work to the pressing position indicated in broken lines in Fig. l. The work is thus pressed against the dies on the upper head to effect the desired cutting operation. At this point, the air pressure in cylinder 22 is relieved and the clearing plate is lowered into contact with the bed HS in front of the work. As the bed is lowered, table I6 is lowered with it and moved forwardly, followed by the clearing plate [9 which holds the work in position so that it slides rearwardly over the bed as the latter is advanced to the work receiving position shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

This operation is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5, where a first work piece 13 is located in initial position on the table 16. Inward movement of the table and upward movement of the bed bring the parts to the pressing position indicated generally at M. The clearing plate [9 is then lowered to engage the table l6 as the latter falls with the bed 55 of the press, the work piece '13 being held back by the plate as the table moves forwardly. During a slight dwell of the parts, a second work piece 15 is located on the table, clearing plate I 9 being raised, the cycle is repeated with the result that both work pieces 73 and F5 are moved toward the rear of the table, the first work piece 13 being pushed rearwardly of the table by the succeeding work piece 75. A third work piece I6 is then placed on the table and the operation is continued as described, with the result that the first work piece 13 is eventually pushed off the rear end of the table to a receiving container or other suitable disposition. It is evident, however, that if so desired, manual or other means may be employed to remove each work piece from the rear end of the table as soon as it has been pressed, as described.

The invention thus provides a simple, automatic and efficient mechanism for feeding the work, as it is pressed, to clear the table, so that the machine may be operated by a single operator who places the work pieces on the table as it moves to work receiving position at the front of the machine, thereby increasing the rate of production and lowering the labor costs. The present mechanism is simple and reliable in construction and operation and is adapted to be readily applied to and combined with a variety of known presses of the general character described and at relatively low expense.

It will thus be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects and while it has been herein disclosed by reference to the details of a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that such disclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a limiting sense, as it is contemplated that various modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A work feeding means for a press having head and bed elements one of which has a reciprocating movement toward and from the other 2 to press the work, and table means having a reciprocating movement transversely of the path of movement of the movable one of said elements for feeding the work to pressing position therebetween, said work feeding means comprising a clearing member supported for movement toward and from position for engagement with the work on said table means, and mechanism for intermittently moving said member in timed coordination with the movement of said table means for engaging said work after pressing thereof between said elements for clearing said work from said table means during said reciprocating movement of said table means.

2. A work feeding means for a press having head and bed elements one of which has a reciprocating movement toward and from the other to press the work, and table means mounted on and reciprocating with the movable one of said elements and having also a reciprocating movement transversely of the path of movement of said movable element for feeding the work to pressing position between said elements, said work feeding means comprising a clearing member supported for movement toward and from position for engagement with the work on said table means, and mechanism for intermittently moving said member in timed coordination with the movement of said table means for engaging said work after pressing thereof between said elements for clearing said work from said table means during said transverse reciprocating movement of said table means.

3. A work feeding means for a press having a head, a bed having a reciprocating movement toward and from said head to press the work, and table means mounted on and movable with said bed and having also a reciprocating movement transversely of the path of movement of said bed for feeding the work to pressing position, said work feeding means comprising a clearing member supported for movement toward and from position for engaging the work on said table means, and mechanism for intermittently moving said member in timed coordination with the movement of said table means for engaging said work after pressing thereof between said head and bed for clearing said Work from said table means during said reciprocating movement of said table means.

4. A work feeding means for a press having head and bed elements one of which has a reciprocating movement toward and from the other to press the work, and table means having a reciprocating movement transversely of the path of movement of the movable one of said elements for feeding the work to pressing position therebetween, said work feeding means comprising a clearing member supported for movement toward and from position for engagement with the work on said table means for clearing said work from said table means by said reciprocating movement thereof, spring means for moving said member in one direction, and pneumatic means for intermittently moving said member in the other direction in timed coordination with the movements of said table means.

5. A work feeding means for a press having head and bed elements one of which has a vertical reciprocating movement toward and from the other to press the work, and table means having a reciprocating movement transversely of the path of movement of the movable one of said elements for receiving and feeding the work to pressing position therebetween, said work feeding means comprising a clearing member supported for vertical movement toward and from position for engagement with the work on said table means, and mechanism for intermittently raising and lowering said member in timed coordination with the movement of said table means for engaging said work after pressing thereof between said elements for clearing said work from said table means by said reciprocating movement thereof.

6. A work feeding means for a press having a head, a bed having a vertical reciprocating movement toward and from said head to press the work, and table means for movement with said bed and having also a reciprocating movement transversely of the path of moveemnt of said bed for receiving and feeding the work to pressing position, said work feeding means comprising a clearing plate having a vertical movement on said head toward and from position for engagement with the work on said table means, spring means for moving said clearing plate in one direction, and fluid pressure means for intermittently moving said clearing plate in the other direction in timed coordination with said transverse reciprocating movement of said table means for engaging said work after pressing thereof for clearing said work from said table means by said reciprocating movement thereof.

CLIFFORD N. LOVENHEIM. ANDREW S. LOVENHEIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Morgan Aug. 18, 1936 Noell Oct. 4, 1939 Number 

